Can dogs and cats have milk?

Most dogs are actually lactose intolerant! Dogs are born with enzymes needed to digest their mothers milk, a nutrient dense liquid containing small amounts of lactose. As they age, they lose these enzymes over time. This means that a dog's gastrointestinal system reacts poorly to milk, especially large amounts. Vomiting, diarrhoea , gas, bloating and abdominal pain are common signs with large amounts of milk consumption. Can dogs drink oat milk? Yes, dogs can drink oat milk which is a plant based lactose-free drink. Many supermarket oat milks contain sugar and carbohydrates which can lead to weight gain or gastrointestinal upset. Some products are sweetened with artificial sweeteners such as xylitol which is toxic to dogs, so make sure you check the label and only feed small amounts as a treat. Can dogs drink almond milk? Yes, dogs can drink small amounts of unsweetened almond milk. Almond milk is higher in fat than other milk alternatives so should be avoided if your dog has a condition such as pancreatitis or IBD, whereby high fat foods lead to illness. If feeding almond milk, use an unsweetened product as many sweetened almond milks contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol which is toxic to dogs. Can dogs drink goat's milk? Yes, dogs can drink goat's milk occasionally. Goat milk is lower in lactose compared to cows milk so it is easier to digest. However for some dogs it still may cause upset stomach, diarrhoea and bloating. If offering your dog goat's milk for the first time, give only a small amount and monitor for signs of lactose intolerance. Can dogs drink soy milk? Yes, dogs can drink plain unsweetened soy milk; it does not contain any lactose. Soy milk is quite high in calories and should only be given as the occasional treat in moderation. Soy allergies are relatively common in dogs so if you are going to feed it to your dog make sure you start with offering a small amount and monitor for signs of allergic reaction such as upset stomach, vomiting or skin irritation. As with other plant base milk alternatives make sure you use an unsweetened product to reduce the risk of artificial sweetener toxicity. Can dogs have lactose-free milk? Yes, dogs can drink lactose-free milk in moderation (often pet milks will be marketed as lactose-free). Make sure you check the label to see if the milk is free from artificial sweeteners. Lactose-free milk still has a high fat and sugar content, so feed occasionally and monitor for weight gain . Can dogs have raw milk? Feeding raw milk is risky as it's unpasteurised. This increases the risk for the presence of harmful bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella and Listeria. These bacteria can make your dog very unwell, and require extensive veterinary care to recover. Do not feed raw milk to your dog. Sadly, it's not advised to feed milk to cats! Cats are even more lactose intolerant than dogs, and drinking milk can lead to painful abdominal signs of bloating, diarrhoea, vomiting and lethargy. Can cats have oat milk? Cats can have tiny amounts of oat milk, but be careful to read the ingredients to ensure there are no toxic agents such as xylitol. Oat milk will contain sugars and fats, which can lead to gastroenteritis type signs in your cat. Can cats have cow's milk? No, cats lack the enzyme lactase needed to digest milk, so it passes through undigested, meaning they absorb no nutrition from the milk, and the undigested milk can cause diarrhoea as a result. Can cats have almond milk? Almond milk is high in fat, so should not be fed for this reason. High fat foods increase your cats risks of conditions such as diabetes, obesity and liver disease. Can cats have goat's milk? Goats milk is one of the better options if you feel your cat must have milk, as it contains around 20% less lactose than dairy. It also has oligosaccharides which have anti-inflammatory properties. I don't recommend feeding milk to your cat, but if feeding milk, goat milk would be the best of the bunch to go for. Can cats have soy milk? Soy contains types of sugars that cannot be broken down by your cat, leading to gastrointestinal irritation, diarrhoea and bloating. Whilst for people it's a good milk alternative, it does not correlate in cats unfortunately. Can cats have lactose free milk? Some pet shops will market cat milk, and these will likely be lactose-free. Lactose-free milk can be fed to your cat, but feed in small amounts and monitor for signs of illness after feeding. Can cats have raw milk? No, never feed raw milk to your cat. Raw milk is unpasteurised, meaning it has not been treated to remove dangerous and harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E coli and Listeria. There are many other safe alternatives and your vet will be happy to advise on other options over feeding raw milk. Summary Your cat and dog will naturally be interested in any treat offering you give them, and they cannot make the connection between drinking milk and feeling unwell afterwards, even if they show no outward signs. Therefore we need to do the thinking work for them, and only feed small amounts of certain milks, and never raw milk. Better yet, avoid feeding milk to your cat or dog altogether and stick to water, nature's most hydrating, healthy and natural liquid instead.

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